


Blind

by auburnimp



Series: Wise Monkeys [1]
Category: Weiß Kreuz
Genre: M/M, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-06
Updated: 2014-09-16
Packaged: 2017-12-22 15:16:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/914756
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auburnimp/pseuds/auburnimp
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall of Koua Academy, Naoe Nagi receives a few surprises.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You’ll need to be on the rooftops. There are often snipers up there when Persia attends events in the city.” Rex was all business as she briefed him, her voice cool, professional as she stuffed folders into a briefcase. “You do understand what you have to do if you find any, don’t you?”

“I understand,” he told her quietly. If there was a trace of bitterness in his voice, she didn’t comment on it. 

Oh goody! Not only would he have to kill again tonight but he’d be rewarded for it by his employer’s attentions. Did this bitch think he enjoyed being used or something? Nagi couldn’t and wouldn’t call it a relationship as he had absolutely no interest in his employer. Sadly, Takatori Mamoru had all too much interest in him. He was the dirty little secret, silent assassin and unwilling sexual partner. Mamoru was officially engaged to some society heiress but it didn’t stop him from seeing Nagi at least once a week. 

“I’ll be there,” he told Rex as she closed the briefcase and reached for the jacket on the back of her chair. 

“Excellent. I think that is all for now so I’ll wish you goodnight, Prodigy.” 

He guessed he should be grateful that he hadn’t been saddled with a cat breed for a code name but he wasn’t. Prodigy belonged to Schwarz not Kritiker. But Persia in his 'wisdom' had said his old name 'will do for now.' 

Will do for now? Didn’t the blind fool see how much it hurt to be called by the code name Brad and Schu gave him after they’d trained him in the use of his talent and seen how strong it was, even back then, when he was still little more than a child. A skinny, short and undernourished child until Brad found him and took him home. 

He was still slender but a lot taller now. He towered over his short and chubby employer and used the only advantage he had by making it a point to either stoop or bend at the knees when Mamoru wanted to kiss him. 

He left the skyscraper Kritiker had its offices in and made for the rooftops where his employer’s enemies tended to hang out when Mamoru went into the city. He was an idiot to be so predictable about the routes he had his driver take through Tokyo, unless… The thought was a new one, a moment of eureka. He was not being a fool; he was attempting to make Nagi’s job easier. 

_Well thank you Takatori-san!_

He climbed the stairs in one of the usual buildings the would-be assassins tended to use, his mind on the past as it so often was since the debacle at Koua Academy where he lost his team, his family. The aftermath had been horrific. He’d stood in a morgue looking at two misshapen bodies that had obviously been broken beyond repair by falling masonry. He didn’t dare lift the sheets covering them, too afraid to see in death what had been so vibrant in life. He berated himself as a coward then and nothing had changed. 

_I should let one of the seemingly never ending stream of snipers get through and kill Takatori Mamoru. I should free myself from his clutches._

Then the other boot dropped and he remembered there was no point to freedom if he was alone. 

Schwarz fought so hard for their freedom but it was elusive in the end. Rosenkreuz were angry with them over their betrayal of the Esset elders who had funded the Rosenkreuz School for so long. They blinded Brad and trapped Schu in his own mind so Brad sent Nagi to Takatori Mamoru who had just taken over Kritiker. As Bombay of Weiss he had been kind and caring. As Persia he became cold and ruthless. But Brad had been blind to the future and had no way of knowing what was in store for his youngest teammate. 

He sighed as he climbed through the trapdoor onto the roof. He knew he had to move forward without either them or Jei now. He had to find his own path without Brad’s visions to guide him, Jei’s strength to protect him and Schu’s constant teasing to both annoy and amuse him. 

_No! I have to stop this. I have to make the best of life as it is now, not how I might have wanted it to be._

He recalled a nasal voice ringing in his head as he had approached Koua. *My, my, haven’t you grown up, Liebe. It took you long enough.* 

*Shut up, Schu. I’m trying to concentrate here* then the realization came, Schuldig could talk to him like this again. *Glad you’re back, though.* 

His laugh refilled the emptiness where he’d always been before. *Me too, especially now I’ve seen you. You always were cute, Liebe. Now… phew, hot.* 

Nagi had blushed, even as he stopped the bullets meant for Abyssinian. Schuldig had only seen him as a kid for so many years; years in which his teenage crush had grown into something far deeper and more enduring. 

He shook his head to clear the memories and concentrated on his surroundings. He let his gift flow out across the roofs, searching for anyone who shouldn’t be there. He was lucky tonight as the rooftops were free of nefarious characters with rifles. He breathed a sigh of relief as the little cavalcade of limo and police escort moved towards the theatre. Now he just had to wait for the two or three hours it took for the movie to play and Takatori to do the meet and greet thing with film stars and politicians. There had been rumours he might follow the family tradition and go into politics in a big way. 

_He becomes more like his uncle every day._

Nagi grimaced at that thought. Mamoru was even beginning to look like Reiji with the way he was piling on the weight. The endless boxes of pocky in his desk coupled with a complete lack of exercise – apart from in the bedroom that was – were taking their toll on his body. 

Nagi’s gift flowed over something softer and warmer than the surrounding stone, brick and mortar and his body tensed, ready to strike. This wannabe assassin was late to the party but it wouldn’t save him as his gift closed round the shape of his body and started to squeeze. 

“And here I thought you’d be pleased to see me…” 

Nagi’s eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when he heard that lilting accent. “Jei?” 

“Not who you were expecting, I guess.” The Irishman approached Nagi, silent as a cat, a true predator even now. He glanced down at the road. “Must be nice to be so popular, eh Nagi?” 

He realised he hadn’t moved, hadn’t even breathed since whispering Jei’s name. He pulled his head out of his ass and threw his arms round the man once known as Farfarello. Jei hugged him in return before holding him at arm’s length and inspecting him minutely. He didn’t seem to like what he saw as his remaining eye narrowed. 

“The little bastard was meant to look after you. That was the deal. What has he done to give you such a world weary aura?” 

Nagi sighed as he realised he could not lie to Jei. The man was not an insane psychopath. If he had been Esset and Rosenkreuz would have killed him. He read auras and everyone who had died at his hands had it coming in Nagi’s opinion. He included the two priests Jei killed and ‘Sister’ Ruth in the list of owed their fate. None of the three were either innocent or deserving of life. Tot, perhaps, was the only true innocent although Nagi’s power really came into its own at that time and saved her life. He’d taken her to a school for the educationally challenged and the last he’d heard she had left to begin work. 

He told Jei the truth. “He made me his personal assassin and fuck toy.” 

The Irishman’s remaining eye narrowed. “You don’t belong to him. You never have. You belong to the Guilty One.” 

Nagi shook his head, his eyes closed on his pain. “He’s dead, Jei, he and Brad both. I saw their bodies in the morgue.” 

Jei was silent for which Nagi was grateful as he didn’t want to cry in front of him. When he did speak he surprised the telekinetic. “Did you see their faces?” 

Nagi stared at the Irishman. “To be honest I couldn’t bear to look.” 

Jei frowned. “So what did you see?” 

Nagi was confused but answered him readily enough. “I saw two bodies on gurneys. They were badly misshapen, I guess from the building collapsing on them. That was one of the reasons I didn’t look at their faces. I was afraid of what I might see.” 

Jei gave him a look that said ‘are you nuts’ more than words ever could. “Come on, Nagi, you’ve seen enough dead bodies not to be that squeamish.” 

Nagi snapped at him then, his whole body shaking with fury and the need to keep his power leashed. “I’d never seen ‘their’ bodies before!” 

Jei nodded. “And, of course, he was counting on that.” 

“What?” 

“Persia, Bombay, Takatori fucking Mamoru. He played you, Nagi. He knew you wouldn’t look at the faces, so he had you look at a couple of bodies pulled from the wreckage and told you they were the Oracle and the Guilty One. He really is a Takatori! The same sort of slimy toad as the rest of that cursed family. Hold onto your hat, kid, both of them are very much alive; tired, but alive.” 

Nagi couldn’t take in what Jei was saying and all he could hear was the silence in his head where Schuldig used to link Schwarz. “But… why can’t I hear them? What happened to the link?” 

Jei shrugged. “That’s why they’re tired. Berger went for a walk in Brad’s head and it took the combined efforts of Schuldig and yours truly to get him out of there. It did almost kill them and it’s taken them all this time to recover. I couldn’t get away before now as I needed to look after them. Then, today, Brad had his first vision since that whole fucking mess. It was about you and he sent me to find you. He was royally pissed too.” 

Nagi felt hysterical and yet so unbelievably happy. He had his family back. “I guess if he saw what was happening to me…” 

Jei interrupted him. “You forget, Nagi. He can only see the future in those visions of his. Whatever he saw he wants to prevent. I know the signs by now.” 

Nagi could only think of one thing Brad might have seen that would anger him and that would be his meeting the little Takatori and letting him bed him again. Then again, it could be something much bigger in the scheme of things than Nagi’s unwanted sex life. “Well there’s no question of my staying here. Let’s go home, Jei.”


	2. Chapter 2

It wasn’t as upmarket as their old penthouse suite had been but that didn’t matter to Nagi. The house was in a reasonably affluent area and it looked rather homey to him. He sighed. He’d just walked away from a man who could search every nook and cranny of Japan to find him if he wished, and Nagi thought Mamoru was spiteful enough to do just that. Perhaps he should have met him, as arranged, and beaten him black and blue for lying. But Brad had sent Jei to get him so he obviously wasn’t interested in that happening. Something else was going on, something big enough to trigger Brad’s talent again.

Jei let them in and, after they removed their shoes, down a hallway to a door on the left. It opened onto a well-lit room with two beds, medical equipment and medicines, although Nagi only saw the figures in the beds. 

Jei had warned him on the way that Brad and Schuldig were still weak but it still hadn’t prepared him for the reality. He was used to seeing them vibrant and alive, not lying in bed and seemingly staring at nothing. 

Jei walked over to the further bed and sat on a chair by its side. He took hold of one of Brad’s hands. “I found Prodigy.” 

His words seemed to energise the man in the bed as he struggled to sit upright. Jei stood and helped Crawford, placing enough pillows behind him to keep him sitting. Nagi was appalled at how thin and gaunt Crawford looked. 

“Come over here please, Prodigy.” 

Nagi did as his leader asked and Crawford took a long look at him before turning his head to ask Jei, “What did his aura tell you?” 

“That he was unhappy, full of hatred and despair.” 

Crawford nodded. “And now?” 

Jei turned to stare at him for a long moment and grinned suddenly. “The hatred is still there but he’s now full of hope and…” He glanced at the other bed where Schuldig lay unmoving, still staring at nothing. 

Crawford nodded. “I believe I can guess the rest.” He stared hard at Nagi. “First, let me apologise for putting you through your time with Takatori Mamoru. I was blind to what he would become but, I knew from previous visions you would be safe from Rosenkreuz in his organisation.” 

Nagi frowned. As far as he knew, Crawford had never apologised to anyone in his entire life. But the idea Rosenkreuz might still be after them was even more disturbing. “Don’t they consider us dead?” 

Crawford smirked. It wasn’t quite the arrogant expression it had once been but it was enough to cheer Nagi immensely. “They do now,” he said. “Takatori Mamoru convinced them with the same trick he used on you. They believe you are a productive little assassin in his employ but they now want to destroy him. Kritiker is interfering in too many of their business interests for them to keep him alive.” 

Nagi gazed at Crawford as he thought things through. “So you want me out of their way while they kill him, is that it?” 

Crawford nodded. “Tonight on his way to meet you he will meet with more assassins than even you would have been able to deal with. They are sending a small army in the hopes of capturing you as well as killing him.” 

Nagi thought he should have felt something, guilt perhaps, but all he could muster was a weird satisfaction. But the other part of Brad’s message was much more worrying. “They want me?” 

“They’ve always wanted telekinetic talents of your calibre.” Brad sighed. “The Elders knew about you and passed the information on to Rosenkreuz. Takatori didn’t do you any favours when he made you use your talent so often. They soon picked up on it when they traced the loss of Epitaph, Berger, Giesl and Layla to his organisation and started monitoring him…and you.” 

Nagi was close to panicking. “Then they’ll trace me here. I’ve led them straight to you.” 

Brad shook his head. “Their plans for tonight are already made and they don’t have a pre-cog in their team.” There was a flash of his old, sadistic smirk. “Besides, you’re Schwarz and we have contracts to fulfil and some rescues to arrange.” 

Jei stared as hard as Nagi felt he must be doing at Brad’s words. “Is this something you’ve seen?” the Irishman demanded. 

Brad nodded. “Yes, my first visions after Berger’s damage were many, varied and informative. But, for now, I still need to rest. Not for too much longer though.” He glanced across the room to the other bed and its occupant. “Go to him, Nagi. He needs you to pull him back to the here and now.” 

Nagi couldn’t help asking. “Is he blind? The way he’s simply staring into space…” 

Brad and Jei both shook their heads. “He’s looking inward so hard that he’s unaware of what’s going on around him,” Jei said. 

Brad added, “I think your presence will bring him back to us.” 

Nagi wasn’t so sure of that but crossed the room to Schuldig’s bed anyway, while Jei got Brad to lay down in the other. He gazed down at the man who’d been the centre of his world for the past six years. The red-gold hair was dull, spread out on the pillow. His blue eyes were open but they weren’t seeing anything in the room. 

Blind. 

The word echoed through Nagi’s thoughts. Until Brad woke up they’d all been blind and now Schuldig had to see again or they might just be doomed. “Schu?” he whispered. There was no response. He pulled up a chair and sat down, ready to be there for as long as it took to wake the telepath. 

He reached across the bed and took hold of the hand lying on the covers. “Schu,” he tried again. 

This time the reaction was startling. Schuldig’s head turned on the pillow and his gaze became focused as it fixed on Nagi. “Liebe, are you real?” 

Nagi felt the tears stream down his cheeks as he whispered, “Yes, I’m here. We’re all together again.” 

Schuldig smiled and closed his eyes. “Tired, need to sleep for a while.” Blue eyes snapped open again. “Promise you’ll be here when I wake up. Promise I’m not imagining you.” 

Nagi smiled in return. “I promise I’m real and I promise I’m not going anywhere. Sleep, Schu, Brad says there is a lot to do when you wake up.” 

“Vater is such a slave driver,” Schuldig mumbled before he drifted off to sleep. 

Nagi grinned and leaned back in the chair, his hand still in Schuldig’s. 

Once the telepath’s breathing had evened out in sleep, Nagi looked across the room at Jei who was watching over the sleeping Crawford. “Who do we have to rescue?” he asked. 

Jei shrugged and stood up. “Your guess is as good as mine, Nagi. Well, I can guess at one person it might be but I’ll leave it for Brad to tell us what we need to know. In the meantime you need to rest. Climb in with the Guilty One. I’m sure neither of you will mind.” 

Nagi blushed. “Jei!” But the idea was tempting and he was tired as all the stress of the last months slowly drained away. He let go of Schuldig’s hand as he bent to remove his shoes. He sat on the German’s bed and slowly lay down next to the telepath. 

Schuldig gave a little sigh in his sleep and an arm snaked round Nagi, effectively pinning him in place. Nagi snuggled against the German’s hard body and quickly fell asleep.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Nagi came awake in a rush, wondering if he’d dreamed the Schwartz reunion but the arm holding him as if afraid to let go convinced him it was real. He opened his eyes to find Schuldig gazing at him. He smiled and snuggled even closer.

Schuldig grinned. “At least neither of us was dreaming.” 

A half-crazed snigger behind him told Nagi that Jei was awake and ready to speak. “You don’t have time for all the lovey dovey stuff. We have work to do, people to see, rescues to attempt.” 

Schuldig groaned, his breath tickling Nagi’s ear. “I guess that means vater is catching up on his visions.” 

Crawford’s voice snapped like a whip. “That’s right, Schuldig. Lots of visions and now the little prince is dead much needs to be done. Can you link us yet?” 

Schuldig let go of Nagi and sat up, running his fingers through his long mane and grimacing. “Ugh! I need a shower!” His blue eyes went distant for a moment and Nagi felt the hollow space in his head fill with their link once again. Schuldig blew out a deep breath and shut his eyes. “It’s set up the way it used to be with a private link between you and me and one between you and Jei. I’ve added a third private link between Nagi and me but that’s none of your damned business.” 

Crawford made no comment to that but, having placed his glasses on his nose, his mental voice came over the link. “Persia’s death opened up a whole lot of visions and a whole can of worms for us to deal with. We’re going to need to scramble almost immediately or all of the remaining members are going to die. We have a very tight window, no more than seventy-two hours, tops.” 

Nagi suddenly realised what his leader was intending. “Who wants them dead?” 

Brad actually smiled at him. “Hidaka was living on Takatori’s whim, with the little shit gone he’ll either be summarily executed or left to rot if there is no paperwork to be found. Kudoh is slowly but surely regaining his memory and will not be allowed to live if that happens. Fujimiya is half a world away, but assassin groups have been sent after him already. We have a lot to accomplish in a very short time. And, to answer your question the surviving Takatori is behind their eradication.” 

Nagi nodded his understanding. Neither Rosenkreuz nor the headless Kritiker would want the surviving members of Weiss at their backs. But he had to wonder if Takatori Saijou would outlive his grandson by very long. “We should split up or we won’t manage it all in time.” 

Brad nodded. “Jei and I will handle New York. You two grab Hidaka first then yank Kudoh off his commuter train. If they don’t survive, all we’ve achieved so far will be for nothing.” 

Nagi nodded again and helped to ease Schuldig into a sitting position. “Let’s get you cleaned up and fed.” 

Schuldig still looked thin and pale but managed to stand and make it to the shower with Nagi’s help. The telekinetic had to wonder how much help the telepath was going to be with Hidaka and Kudoh. 

Schuldig turned and smirked at him. *Don’t worry about me, Liebe. Now we’re all together again and not trying to straighten the mess Berger left in Brad’s head, I’ll be recovered in no time.* 

Nagi gazed back at him, no longer having to look up to see his eyes. A few years and regular mealtimes had added inches to his slight frame and he was now almost as tall as the German. He put on his totally disinterested look and shrugged. *In that case get showered while I find breakfast. You obviously don’t need my help.* 

He almost giggled when Schuldig made a whining sound. *I thought you were going to wash my back.* 

*You’re incorrigible. Get in the shower.* 

*That was a big word, Liebe.* 

*So is homicide, now move!* 

Schuldig chuckled but did as he was told. Nagi headed to the kitchen and quickly made some rolled eggs for everyone. *So why are Rosenkreuz interested enough in Weiss to go after them?* 

*Ask Vater, as I’m not sure but they must have had some reason for fucking with Kudoh’s mind.* 

Nagi considered that as he cooked. Why _had_ Kudoh had his memories wiped? It made no sense unless Rosenkreuz had some use for him. And if they did have a use for him it meant he was a talent of some sort. 

He’d always considered Abyssinian to have talent. At a guess either slight pre-cognition or empathy. Kudoh had been nothing but kind over Tot and him so he marked him as empathic. So what the hell was Hidaka? Nagi couldn’t imagine the half mad soccer nut having any sort of talent outside kicking a ball about. 

He arranged the food on plates and called the rest of Schwarz to breakfast. He opened his mouth to ask about their rescue targets but Schu beat him to it. 

“So, Vater, why are the Weiss kitties so important? I’m guessing from the mind wipe Kudoh is a talent of some sort, but the other two?” 

Brad smirked, took a mouthful of egg, chewed and swallowed. “They are talents, Schu, even Hidaka. His is so suppressed it’s driving him mad. Fujimiya knows what he is and even uses it from time to time. With training he could be a lot stronger than he is. Kudoh is, of course, the star prize.” 

Nagi frowned. Okay, so they were talents, but what sort? “You haven’t told us what their talents are.” 

Brad’s smirk softened into a smile. “See no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. They’re the three wise monkeys but that’s all I can tell you right now. Rosenkreuz want them alive, Kritiker want them dead and I want them free.” 

His eyes went wide as he said the last word, sure signs of a vision. “I believe we shall be bringing three more players back with us after a stopover in England.” The smirk was back with a vengeance. “Gentlemen, the last pieces are falling into place. When you have acquired Kudoh and Hidaka, bring them to London. That’s where the final game against Rosenkreuz will be played.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some old friends are retrieved.

It was as Nagi had expected. The prison governor recognized him as Takatori Mamoru’s sidekick and bodyguard and was quite happy to release Hidaka into his custody.

“I would like to say he’s been a model prisoner but I’m afraid I can’t.” 

Nagi shrugged. “To be honest, I don’t think too much was expected of him in that regard.” 

The governor was saved having to respond by the arrival of Hidaka flanked by two guards. Nagi stared into eyes the color of molasses and tried not to shudder. Hidaka gave him the creeps. “You can remove the restraints. I’m here to free him.” 

“Your funeral,” one of the guards said and unlocked the metal round Hidaka’s legs. Nagi held the former Weiss assassin still just in case he got any stupid ideas. 

“Does he have something other than prison clothing to wear?” 

The governor had lost interest once the shackles were off and Hidaka was no longer his responsibility. “He’ll have a box with his belongings at the gate office. He can sign for them there and leave his jumpsuit with the officer on duty.” 

Nagi nodded and turned towards the door. “Okay, Hidaka, move. Vacation time’s over.” 

He kept a telekinetic leash on Hidaka while the man collected his things and changed into his own clothes. 

Once outside the prison he indicated Schuldig’s bright red sports car and watched with some amusement as Hidaka scratched his head and looked totally bemused. “Do you guys work for Omi now?” 

Nagi shook his head. “No, not even me. Now get in if you want to live.” 

Hidaka took a look at the prison then at the car and its occupant, shrugged and climbed into the back. 

Nagi got in next to Schuldig and they were on their way. Nagi turned to look at Hidaka. “Okay, here’s the abridged version. You, Kudoh and Fujimiya are in too much danger to leave you in prison where you can easily be found. Takatori Mamoru has already paid with his life for taking on Rosenkreuz and the rest of you are next on their to do list.” 

“Because of Epitaph?” Hidaka asked. 

Schuldig smirked. “Epitaph recognized you for what you are, so you could say that.” 

Hidaka looked confused. “What are you talking about? Recognized us as what?” 

Nagi grinned at him, knowing he wasn’t going to like the answer. “Talents. Brad says you’re the three wise monkeys, whatever that might mean. Anyway, for whatever reason Rosenkreuz want you, dead or alive.” 

He watched as Hidaka’s mind caught up with all the information he’d thrown at him. “Wait a minute. Omi’s dead?” 

Nagi rolled his eyes. “There was no ‘Omi’ anymore. Bombay was dead, supplanted by Persia, but Persia trod on the wrong toes and they killed him for it.” 

Hidaka sighed. “Yeah, I keep forgetting that, don’t I? So what, you’ve been sent to kill me?” 

Schuldig chuckled and hit the steering wheel with his left hand. “Oh, you’re funny, Siberian. If we wanted to kill you, you’d have been found dead in your cell, your heart crushed by my friend here.” 

Hidaka frowned. “So what do you want?” 

Nagi shook his head. “To keep your dumb ass alive. Anymore than that you can ask Brad when we meet up in London.” 

“London! What about a passport? I don’t have one.” 

Nagi grinned, retrieved Hidaka’s passport from the glove compartment and tossed it to him. “Yes you do. Now shut up while we collect Kudoh.” 

Hidaka stared at him, reminding Nagi of a carp which had been stuffed. “I thought Yohji died at Koua.” 

“Nope,” Schuldig said. “He got a knock on the head which led to amnesia. He’s married and is a good little salaryman. It’s almost a shame to burst his bubble. Of course, if we don’t, both he and his wife will die before the week is out.” 

Hidaka sat back looking stunned. “They really do want us, don’t they?” 

“Hallelujah, the heathen has been converted,” Schuldig said with one of his customary smirks. 

Hidaka ignored him as he studied the passport. “Won’t we be stopped at the airport? This rather good forgery is in my real name after all.” 

Nagi nodded. It seemed the jock had a bit of a brain after all. “Yes, but then Hidaka Ken has never had a passport so Kritiker will not expect him to be at the airport. Rosenkreuz will not move to acquire you for another sixty-six hours. So that gives us enough time to grab Kudoh and catch the flight that leaves at twenty-two forty-five tonight.” 

“Yohji won’t come quietly, amnesia or not,” Hidaka said. 

Nagi settled back into his seat so he was facing front again. “Let Schuldig worry about Kudoh. With his mind in the state it is, he’ll be easy to deal with.” 

* 

Three hours, a good lunch and a train ride later they were at Kudoh’s workplace watching the office workers pile out of the building and hurry towards the station and the train home. Kudoh himself emerged and immediately lit a cigarette. Nagi sighed at the sight and, surprisingly, so did Hidaka. “I was hoping he might have forgotten that habit.” 

“Brad won’t let him smoke,” Schuldig remarked. “He made me quit.” 

Nagi remembered that, remembered the telepath being moody for weeks and, as a moody Schuldig was a nasty Schuldig, he’d gotten that Ouka girl killed. Nagi had been angry at the time until Brad pulled him aside to tell him he’d sent Jei to kill her deliberately as she was Takatori Reiji’s daughter and the whole screwed up family had to go. 

Nagi could see that now and it had taken Schuldig’s mind off the smokes. Now they had to live through the whole process again with Kudoh. He sighed. “This is not going to be fun.” 

Strangely, Hidaka agreed with him. “He’s like a bear with a sore head without his smokes. Best of luck on making him quit.” 

Schuldig chuckled. “It’ll be easy. I make him forget he ever smoked and we throw him in a room on his own for two days to get over the physical addiction.” 

Nagi had to admit the idea had merit. “Better see what kind of mess Rosenkreuz left his mind in before you attempt any tampering.” 

Schuldig nodded and his eyes went distant as he concentrated. He smirked and Nagi saw Kudoh look at his cigarette in surprise and crush it out. “You planted an aversion?” 

Schuldig grinned at him. “Do you honestly want to be on a plane with him whining for fifteen hours?” 

Point taken and Nagi said no more on the subject as they followed Kudoh to the station. Schuldig must have done something more than deal with the smoking as Kudoh got on the train that would take him to where they’d parked Schuldig’s car. “You’re such a clever bastard,” Nagi said in admiration as Kudoh stood by the red car without a problem. 

Schuldig smiled at him but there was a serious look in his bright blue eyes. “He’s almost a clean slate. His memories are returning but…” 

“But?” Hidaka prompted. 

Schuldig turned to stare at the jock. “But, despite what you think of me, I wouldn’t do to a dog what was done to him. They could have sent him mad, it’s hard to tell until he retrieves more than your stupid flower shop. Now go and explain some things to him, Hidaka.” 

Hidaka gave Schuldig a look that said ‘why me’ and turned to Nagi. “He’s likely to freak out when he sees you guys anyway.” 

Nagi smirked at him. Did he think he was incapable of handling a pissed off Kudoh who didn’t have his wire to hand? “It’ll be fine,” was all he said. 

Hidaka shrugged and approached Kudoh. The blond recognized his old teammate and the two gave each other a hug. Hidaka started talking and Kudoh frowned as he listened. He glanced over Schuldig and Nagi and the frown deepened. Nagi got his talent ready as he and Schuldig strolled over to join the two ex-Weiss. 

“Schwartz,” Kudoh growled and Schuldig smirked. “Nice to see you have some idea of who we are and who you really are,” the telepath said. “How long has it been since you realized you’re not Ito Ryo?” 

Kudoh looked confused. “Only since Ken spoke to me. All I had before that was the flower shop and a redhead with an attitude. Not you though, a different redhead.” 

“Fujimiya Ran more commonly known as Aya,” Schuldig said helpfully and Kudoh dropped his briefcase. 

“Aya,” he breathed. “Is he alive too?” 

Nagi decided it was time for him to join the conversation. “As long as Crawford and Farfarello got there in time, yes. Come with us and you should see him again.” 

Kudoh picked up his briefcase. “What about Asuka?” 

“Your wife will be safer without you around. Neither Kritiker nor Rosenkreuz have any interest in her.” 

Kudoh sighed. “I guess the whole normal life thing was just a dream.” 

Schuldig stopped smirking and said, “Or a nightmare. Your wife was a Kritiker agent married to you to make sure you didn’t remember too much. I’m sorry, Kudoh.” 

Kudoh nodded. “It always was a bit too good to be true. Okay, I’ll come quietly if only to see Aya again.”


End file.
